New 1 and 2 diram coins from Tajikistan 2012

[milkshakespeare]

Tajikistan has issued new low denomination coins of 1 and 2 dirams! The coins are made of brass plated steel and they are dated 2011.

The press release in English:
http://www.nbt.tj/en/news_right/?ELEMENT_ID=11291

[Figleaf]

Not quite clear to me if it's a new type or a new date...

Peter

[<k>]

They are new denominations. Previously the 5 diram coin was the lowest denomination.

[ciscoins]

Here's a message about these coins from a Russian numismatic forum, written by the only guy who sells these coins by this moment:

"For your question "Why are they so expensive?" I can tell you the following:

Though these coins are officially released for circulation, they will never really circulate, because there are no prices in dirams in Tajikistan. Actually, it's very hard to find any coins in circulation there (only banknotes really circulate, starting with 1 somoni), even in banks and exchange offices, including the coins 1, 3 and 5 somoni.
<...>

It was very hard for me to get these bags with coins; I had to communicate with highest officials of the country. The mintages of these coins are unknown."

[Figleaf]

Minting coins no one will ever use doesn't make a lot of sense to me. The story from the dealer implies he didn't get them at face.

Peter

[ciscoins]

That may have lots of sense, but surely it's not convenience for the people. And not an attempt to sell these coins to collectors - Central Asian governments never think about numismatists. They never think about ordinary people when they make something; they can think only about:
- the elite of the country;
- the image of the country from the Western point of view;
- the history.

Maybe someone from the elite is collecting coins and wants to have 1 and 2 dirams in his collection (as, I suppose, it was with 1 tiyin in Kazakhstan). Or maybe they want to show the stability of their economy to the West: while most other countries remove the smallest denominations from circulation, Tajikistan is introducing them (and coins of all the other values have recently been made bigger and heavier). Or maybe they've started to think how their currency will look in the history - without the smallest subdivisions it looks strange, incomplete, etc.

[Figleaf]

  The connection between the image of the country, how history judges them and what they have done to improve life is totally lost on them, I suppose.

Yes, I can see the mechanism, where someone in power has these minted, creates demand with press articles and then corners supply. The dealer may have been in someone's way to make easy money.

So are these coins? I would argue they aren't. I am also convinced that in a few decades, they will be considered coins and that KM will have no trouble including them.

Peter

[ciscoins]

So are these coins? I would argue they aren't.

That depends on the mintage. If only 1000, or even 10000 pieces were minted, then they were not supposed to circulate from the very beginning. If more - then they may appear in circulation sometimes and somewhere.

I am also convinced that in a few decades, they will be considered coins and that KM will have no trouble including them.

Krause Publications include everything in their catalogs - golden and silver "coins" with unreal denominations, proof versions of regular coins, pieces that were made only for mint sets, and so on. So they won't have any trouble even now. And I have this trouble because I always try to separate circulating coins from everything else. And I don't know if I should tell about these dirams at my site or not.

[Figleaf]

And I have this trouble because I always try to separate circulating coins from everything else. And I don't know if I should tell about these dirams at my site or not.

You could either include them with a note expressing your doubts or exclude the with a footnote why they are excluded...

Peter

[ciscoins]

I have finally bought these coins.

[gxseries]

I got them as well: